Bandon's late blitz stuns Fermoy - 2015-11-09

County Minor B Football Final 2015
Bandon 4-07
Fermoy 3-07

BANDON outscored Fermoy 3-3 to no score in the final 10 minutes to win the Minor B Football Championship final played in Ballincollig yesterday.

With 40 minutes gone in a thrilling championship decider, Fermoy led the West Cork club 3-5 to 0-4.

At that juncture, Bandon had yet to score from play and it looked like the feel-good factor in Fermoy was about to continue.

But a late Bandon surge sealed the unlikeliest of come-backs.

Fermoy started on the front foot, despite playing against a slight breeze, and led 1-2 to 0-0 after 14 minutes.

Conor De Roiste and Oisin Ennis were the point-scorers with Dale Dawson gaoling.

Both sides shared the next four scores but two late Bandon points from Adam Murphy and Mark O'Regan kept them in toubh.

The half-time score saw Fermoy lead 1-4 to 0-4 with everything to play for.

Fermoy could not have asked for a better start to the second half.

Two goals from Daniel O'Flynn and Eoin Lacey and a free from Dawson left them firmly in control as they led by 10 points 3-5 to 0-4 after 40 minutes.

Bandon took control however, and played all the football from here to the finish.

After missing scoreable chances, they got a goal following a great save by Fermoy net-minder Jack Gallagher with the ball falling nicely to sub Eoin Nolan who tapped it to the net.

Fermoy's response was swift and two quick-fire points from Dara McCarthy and Dawson left it Fermoy 3-7 Bandon 1-4 with 12 minutes remaining.

It was to be Fermoy's last score of the game.

Incredibly, it took 50 minutes for Bandon to score a point from play but it was a springboard for a comeback.

Three goals and two points in the closing nine minutes won the county for Bandon to leave Fermoy shell-shocked at full time.

Scores for Bandon: M O'Regan 0-4 f, Adam Murphy 1-1 (0-1 f), E Nolan, D Behan 1-0 each JF Lehane 1-0, T McCarthy (sl), G O'Connell 0-1 each.

Fermoy: D Dawson 1-3 (0-2 f), D O'Flynn1-1, E Lacey 1-0, C De Roiste, O Ennis, D McCarthy 0-1 each.

BANDON: C McCarthy; A Burns, E McCarthy, K Walsh; JF Lehane, D Behane, E Hurley; T McCarthy, J O'Mahony (c); M O'Regan, A Murphy, G O'Connell; G Collins, E O'Sullivan, C Minihane

Sub: E Nolan for G Collins (22).

FERMOY: J Gallagher; R O'Sullivan, G Mahon (c), D Ryan; P Healy, R Morrison, C O'Driscoll; R McEvoy, H Beresford; D O'Flynn, O Ennis, N Collins; D Dawson, E Lacey, C De Roiste.

Subs: D McCarthy for C O'Driscoll (h-t), M Walsh for O Ennis (52) O Ennis for D Ryan (59 black card).

Referee: John Ryan (Macroom)